


Turn Around for Me

by jbsullivan17



Series: Challenging Myself [3]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: CONTESTANT Clarke, JUDGE Bellamy, Seriously getting delusional at this point of moving, The Voice AU no one asked for, i don't know where this came from
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-04-22 04:44:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14301087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jbsullivan17/pseuds/jbsullivan17
Summary: Clarke auditions for The Voice and it gets complicated... Thanks to her history with Bellamy.





	1. Audition

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly, I don't know where this is going, but if you take the journey with me, it's bound to get either insanely entertaining or ridiculously horrible...  
> Also, I don't know how the show actually plays out time wise, I know the beginning of the season isn't live but when the audience at home can vote, it is. I'm basically going to do my own version that helps me out with writing and Clarke out with her nerves...

Clarke thought this was stupid, she knew she could sing, she just didn’t think anything more than being in the choir in school and the school musicals in high school. So when Raven said that _The Voice_ was doing auditions for the new season in a month, Clarke didn’t think anything of it, just continued studying for her bio final.

Of course, she was foolish enough to believe that Raven wouldn’t have the three days all planned out in Richmond. Already signed Clarke up for the contest online so she had a spot, she just had to go to the audition and wait for a call back twice before finding out if she’s _going to Hollywood!_

It was winter break, luckily so Raven knew Clarke had no real reason to say no. Raven was paying for everything, all they needed was a car, which was Clarke’s only real contribution to the whole endeavor. So they left on Monday and spent the afternoon in Richmond at the local art museum before grabbing a sub from a deli for dinner and watching Telemundo until they fell asleep.

“You realize having to wake up before six for anything is idiotic, let alone a singing competition.”

“You’re amazing! Remember when we spent spring break in Nashville six years ago and the Bluebird had an amateur night? You brought the house down!”

“Probably because I was after Jasper and everyone is better than him.”

“No, it’s because you sing better than Taylor Swift and you know she’s the lowest talent bracket in the industry.”

“Britney Spears? Katy Perry? Auto tune queens and Britney Spears doesn’t even write her own songs, Taylor does, she has talent, singing just isn’t one of them.”

“Oh, come on. You’re going to do great, you brought your guitar, right? They should see that too.”

“You packed it,” Clarke deadpanned, pulling on her favorite, albeit lucky, flannel shirt, knowing full well that she’s going to be sweating profusely and without knowing which way she wants the luck to go.

“I did and with that shirt, you’ll look great and country. What are you singing again?”

“I was supposed to plan that?”

“Uh, yes! Scour your playlist for something you can sing while we drive over.”

In the twenty minutes it took to get to the stadium, to signing in, to finding their seat to wait, Raven shot down every song Clarke came up with.

“You need something with a wow factor, your voice does that weird bass thing that’s fucking amazing, do something where you can do that.”

“You realize that every song I picked I can do that on, it’s partly why I picked them.”

“You can’t do that on _Roar_.”

“Granted it’s a Katy Perry song that I hate knowing all the words to, I can do that “weird bass thing” on the roars.”

“What about _Believer_ by Imagine Dragons?”

“If I’m going to do Imagine Dragons, I’m doing _Radioactive_.”

“That’s slightly more monotone, _Believer_ fluctuates so it gives you more range.”

“I can’t believe you just used the word fluctuate to describe a song. That’s blasphemous.”

Raven laughed and they joked around until they called Clarke up to audition and she smiled nervously at Raven before following the woman down to the floor of the arena and into one of the rooms separated by a sheet of fabric.

They waited around a few more hours and heard them call her number in between others being called and Raven nudged her with her shoulder. “Told you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Celebratory Olive Garden and Pinkberry, okay?”

“Sounds perfect,” she smirked following Clarke out to the parking lot to leave and only come back tomorrow to do it all over again.

* * *

“Good morning, there are a hundred of you and ten of us and we only have two slots to fill. Each of us are going to get ten of you and pick our favorites from there and from the last ten we will decide as a group which two get the spots. We’re doing it all today so if you need to prepare a second song, you have two hours for lunch where you can prepare. Good luck.”

Clarke sang _Til I Lost_ by Tom Odell, she was in an obscure mood so she picked an obscure song.

She was one of the ten called back and Raven was talking about something Wick said on the phone while Clarke was auditioning and Clarke wasn’t listening because the two of them were ridiculous, either bickering over nonsense or screwing like rabbits.

“So what song are you thinking?”

“ _What’s Up?_ 4 Non Blondes.”

“Are you going for irony? Do you think they’ll get the irony?”

“Of the band name? Who cares? It’s a good song that shows range, isn’t that what you want me to do?”

“Well, that’s what they’ll want you to do. How are your lungs?”

“Fine. Don’t give me a speech about the longevity of a note, I can handle it.”

“I know you can. I’m pushing to be your manager or something, I’m not sure what yet, you’re going to make it big and I’m not going to stick around here. I’ll find something to do for you.”

Clarke chuckled, tossing her fork on the plate, done with the pasta salad they served with the sandwiches.

The other singers and their supporters while waiting to get called, we’re all grouped together talking and getting to know each other. Clarke was called seventh and everyone wished her luck as she carried her guitar in with her.

What Clarke vaguely knew about the show was their preference to making songs your own and _What’s Up?_ is such a classic song that makin it her own wasn’t an easy feat and she’s heard horrible covers of people trying to make it their own. She didn’t want to be one of those people, she wanted to be original and still keep the mood of the song.

She got through it and went back out to the group and they called the last three before making them all wait what felt like forever for an answer.

“2398 and 4717, you two are going to Hollywood!”

Clarke sighed, glaring at Raven who was beaming with brilliance. “Congrats 2398,” she smiled and Clarke rolled her eyes at her friend, looking over at the other girl, 4717 or Emori, who won too. She was crying tears of joy against her boyfriend, John, maybe.

“Congratulations,” Clarke smiled at her.

“Oh, my God! You too! Thank you!”

The others slowly put themselves together, most of them still crying and Clarke waited to hear when they’re leaving and who the new judge will be, the only two that have stayed were Adam and Blake, their bromance is legendary. She heard Alicia Keys was coming back but the fourth person was who Clarke was really concerned about.

“So if you’re not aware, we’ve been promoting the show with a surprise fourth judge and we even want you guys to be surprised if/when that judge turns around for you. It’ll be fun and, from what I hear, worth the wait.”

“You don’t even know,” Emori smirked and Clarke had to laugh, it’s probably true, she doubts they even have a fourth judge and are scrambling to find someone willing.

“See you in three weeks,” the woman said, completely charmed by Emori’s ability to see through her bullshit.

* * *

“So who’s your plus one?” Jasper asked when Clarke and Raven arrived at the bar that night meaning Raven texted everyone in the group chat about her winning and going to LA for a few months, she also wrote Clarke’s email to the dean saying she needs a semester off.

“Raven obviously, she’s the one that pushed me to do this so she should be the one there so I can say I told you so when I don’t win.”

“So were supposed to pretend she doesn’t have an amazing voice,” Monty asked Raven who gave him an affirmative nod.

“I’m not saying I won’t get far in the competition, but final two? Highly doubtful.”

Octavia and Lincoln walked in and grabbed their seats, congratulating Clarke and buying her a round of whatever beer she decided to drink that night, she wants to try every beer their favorite bar offered, she’s looking for an all time favorite.

“So Los Angeles,” Lincoln said while Raven and O were in the bathroom. “O’s from there, her brother’s still there.”

“Wait, Octavia has a brother?” Jasper gasped but Lincoln and Clarke ignored him. Monty was texting Harper who’s working at the diner down the block.

“It’s not like I’m going to have a lot of downtime, I can’t go see someone just because they’re related to my friend. That’s kind of weird and the show has an apartment building near the set and I’m pretty sure once filming starts we can’t leave without people being weird about it. I don’t know, Raven will want to go on the Dearly Departed tour before anything else so we’ll probably do that.”

“If I were ever in LA, that’d be my first stop,” Jasper offered and Clarke smirked.

“You know Raven will Instagram Story the whole thing. You won’t miss much.”

“What she’ll do a live? Cause I’d be down for that.”

“Who’s doing a live?” Octavia asked when she and Raven came back.

“Raven when she goes on the Dearly Departed your in LA.”

“Maybe, if I can, they might not allow it. I’ll Instagram story pictures though.”

“Yes!” Jasper wiggles before gulping down the rest of his beer. “I’m going to order, need anything?”

Clarke turned to Monty once Jasper was gone, “Is he okay?”

“He finally asked Maya out. I don’t know what she said but I’m thinking it’s yes.”

She nodded slowly because it’s just strange behavior for Jasper, which was saying something.

“Good for him,” Lincoln smiled.

* * *

 

“You’re serious?” Bellamy asked Kane, pacing in his manager’s office.

“It’ll be good publicity and set you up for going solo like we talked about because of Riley’s dramatics.”

“Or we can kick Riley out of the band and get a new bassist. It’s LA, it really won’t be that difficult.”

“You won’t go solo because of Miller. He can still be in the band.”

“I write the songs with him, he deserves the recognition. He should have a name and ‘Bell and Mill’ gives off the wrong impression.”

“ _The Voice_ will show record companies that you can go out on your own and thrive.”

“I’m not a mentor. I got here on luck. I’m also an asshole.”

“You could be the Simon Cowell of _The Voice_. People don’t need to be coddled all the time.”

“Yeah, it’s the other times I’ll have a problem with.”

“Bellamy, you can do this, you’ll bring together a cool group of people to help as mentors for your team. It’s only six people. You can handle that.”

“But how am I supposed to know what voice to pick? I’m tone deaf when it comes to other people.”

“If you like the voice you press the button to turn around.”

Bellamy sighed, he does have time to do this, he and the guys decided to take a break, the last six years were nonstop and completely insane working until they crashed only to wake up and continue working.

Bellamy lives with Miller and they were best friends before the band started so it’s no big surprise that they still see each other everyday but they don’t see Riley or Ilian because they lived in Encino while Bellamy and Miller live in Los Feliz. They’re across the city from each other and it’s a bitch and a half to cross LA any time of the day, Bellamy really didn’t know how they put together their latest album with the distances between their homes, spending more time in traffic than they did in the studio.

“You’re aware that if I say yes, Miller will be with me every day. We’re practically a package deal at this point.”

“As long as you don’t make ridiculous demands and make yourself and your band look bad, bring whoever you want.”

Bellamy rolled his eyes, he’s an asshole, sure, but not a conceited douche. “Fine, I’ll do it.”

“Awesome. Here’s a list of available coaches, so talk to them and discuss schedules…”

Bellamy grabbed the list from Kane and left his office, immediately hearing the notification of Kane emailing him the schedule and probably the date of his contract signing to agree to this, Bellamy isn’t one to back down from a challenge or take back his word on a promise and being a judge on _The Voice_ felt like both.


	2. Blind Auditions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm aware that the show has this background family drama thing going on on what inspires the contestants and family members off stage but you know who Abby is, you know she loves her daughter profusely but doesn't always agree with Clarke's choices so... she's not there.

Clarke cursed out Raven at least a dozen times the next three weeks, a half dozen more on the four and a half hour flight to LA, and three more times in the taxi to the house Clarke’s going to be staying at that’s next to the hotel Raven was.

It wasn’t that Clarke was nervous, she just had a plan in life to never sing in public, let alone on national TV so the fact that Clarke was doing this was something she was relatively annoyed about… more than she’d ever admit.

She met the other contestants the night before, there’s sixty of them, competing for forty-eight slots. It seems unfair but it’s how the game is played she guessed.

She and Emori stayed together, her boyfriend John went with her just like Raven went with Clarke and they were both in the stands that night waiting for the coaches to turn around. There are some others from the same cities but they didn’t really stick together, they’re all essentially strangers and twelve of them are leaving in a few hours. Why should they get attached?

They started calling people in and Clarke was tuning her guitar while waiting, nervously strumming her guitar, trying to get the feel she was going for while also not letting people know what song she’s going to do.

She was called at some point and more than half the room was empty. She was somewhat glad she wasn’t last but also hoped she was picked and if she wasn’t they all wanted to pick her and didn’t know what they had coming after her.

Choosing _In My Blood_ by Shawn Mendes was somewhat of a strategic maneuver, she can show her range, put her own spin on it and show her emotions because she nearly cries every time she hears it, thinking of her father.

She tried not focusing on the four chairs who’s backs were turned to her when she stepped out but they’re ostentatious and she felt Raven’s eyes on her from the left but she had to shake off knowing everyone’s watching her, that she’s on camera and if she fucks up, the whole world will see and she’ll be a joke or worse a fucking meme.

She started off soft, whispering the lyrics, bringing it to that powerful crescendo at the end of the chorus and one of the chairs turned around, Blake Shelton. She sang the next verse, feeling her eyes begin to prickle and a tear fell when she got to the beginning of the chorus and when she got to the bridge, she was a little choked up and someone else turned around. She finished the song how she planned, wiping away her tears, still not completely put back together when the other two chairs spun around.

“Honey, are you okay?” Blake asked the moment the crowd hushed.

Taking a deep breath, Clarke nodded. “Yes, thank you.”

“What’s your name?” Adam Levine asked.

“Clarke Griffin,” she said.

“Well, Clarke, I’m really sorry I didn’t turn around, I regret it now, that was very powerful but I only have two slots left. They’re lucky to have you.”

Clarke nodded. “Thank you.”

“Where did you go?” the husky voice asked and she had a feeling she knew who it was when he turned around but she’s been avoiding him for six years. Bellamy Blake and his unruly black curls and deep, dark eyes and more talent than he knows what to do with.

“My father died from cancer six years ago and it reminds me of his last months alive. He was a fighter and tried as hard as he could to make it to my high school graduation. And, uh, he didn’t make it.”

“I’m so sorry. With the song, I really felt your pain and heartbreak and I would love to explore that with you along with upbeat songs maybe if you want that.”

Clarke smiled, she tried keeping the memory at bay, maybe he doesn’t remember it anyway, maybe he’s serious about this whole thing and doesn’t want to share their past with the whole country. “Sounds good.”

Clarke kept her smile on because she’s on TV and can’t do anything more embarrassing than crying over her dead father while singing.

“I hear the passion and pain in your voice,” Alicia Keys stayed. “But I’m with Adam, I only have three spots left.”

“Clarke,” Blake sighed. “I think you’re amazing! Such charisma and people are really feeling for you with that performance! I’m glad I turned around when I did so I could see the tears and heartbreak unfold. Bellamy didn’t see any of that, that crescendo was flawless and built so beautifully and I don’t think anyone really expected you to go where you did with it. I would love to work with you and get to know where you want to take your music.”

“Come on, Blake, you’ve been here so long, you’re too loquacious with this, sweet talking her like that!” Bellamy quipped.

“I know what I want, you’re putting out feelers.”

“Clarke, you have the Blake’s to choose from.”Adam reminded her. “What’s your decision?”

“Don’t group us together!” Bellamy grimaced.

“Just because my first name is his last name doesn’t mean we’re grouped together. Country and rock… sworn enemies,” Blake smirked and Clarke laughed.

“Clarke,” Bellamy said. “If you want to go country or pop, you should pick Shelton, but if you want that edge your voice is aching for, I can help you find your niche.”

“Um, I love Nashville and the atmosphere there, I was considering moving there after graduation but it’s not where I want to go music wise. If Bellamy knew anything, he’d know that Blake hasn’t won with just Country singers, he’s had all genres win. But despite that, I think in the long run, Bellamy would a better fit.”

“Yes! Welcome to Team Blake!” Bellamy exclaimed running over to hug her and she still wondered if he remembered what happened six years ago.

“Still no,” Blake and Adam said together.

Clarke walked off stage so the next contestant to audition and Bellamy went back to his seat.

* * *

“Bellamy?” Raven asked later that night after filming.

“Octavia’s brother, it’s loyalty.”

“You looked like you were going to puke when you realized it was him and every time he spoke to you.”

“Remember spring break in Nashville? That guy I hooked up with? That’s him.”

“Bellamy Blake’s the asshole? Why the hell would you choose his team?”

“So I can get some payback for his shitiness and, you know, Octavia would scold me if I didn’t.”

“So? It’s going to be torture spending all this time with him.”

“What he did in Nashville six years ago was shitty, I’ll give you that, but he could have changed. I’m not the naïve eighteen year old I was, he might not be the douche I made him out to be then either.”

Raven gave her this skeptical look before getting up to leave. “You have some bonding to do with your team, right? Or is Bellamy going to want to do that?”

“I don’t know. I’m tired so I’m going to stay here. Hey, where did Emori wind up?”

“Adam’s team, Murphy was kinda pissed because she’s had a crush on Adam for years so spending time with her celebrity crush isn’t something he’s excited to see.”

“That’s understandable, if I were dating someone and they found out I hooked up with Bellamy Blake, they have the right to be pissed about it. Was there a good reason for her to pick him or was it because she had a crush on him?”

“He’s the only one to turn around for her, there wasn’t much convincing.”

“She was before me so what he said made sense.”

* * *

“Dude,” Miller said on the ride home after the first bight of the blind auditions and Bellamy grimaced, he knew what Miller was going to say and he didn’t want to talk about it.

“Yeah, I know.”

“You were a complete dick to her. Are you going to apologize?”

“What? On camera? I can’t.”

“I can distract the crew and get you two minutes of privacy.”

“You remember her, she’s fiery, I don’t think two minutes will be enough to make up for what I did,” Bellamy reminded him of what he did to Clarke six years ago.

“I’ll find time for you to talk to her, okay? Don’t worry about it.”

“My only concern is her punching me in the face.”

“No one is going to ruin that pretty mug of yours,” Miller smirked, knowing how much Bellamy hated it.

“I’ll take advantage of a moment alone, even if it’s thirty seconds, something’s better than nothing.”

“She’s friends with Octavia too, I don’t know if you knew that.”

“I didn’t, O would have screamed at me if she knew about our past. Hurting her. Clarke didn’t tell her.”

“What if Clarke didn’t know it was you? It was a pretty long time between Nashville and when we were mentioned in the press. She could have forgotten the details of your face.”

“Did you see her face when she saw me just now? She knows who I am, she… she hates me and she still picked me.”

“The devil you know,” Miller shrugged.

Bellamy Blake, Clarke Griffin’s devil.


	3. Battle Round Preparations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while and I'm sorry.

Clarke thought time would have moved faster. That they would have gotten on the teams and immediately shot into the Battle round and the show would have been over in four or five weeks, but it’s drawn out and it’s a good thing too.

After the blind auditions, Clarke met the rest of Team Bellamy, they did this group trust thing even though they’re going up against each other and Clarke barely looked at Bellamy the entire time because… she couldn’t without wanting to vomit. She really didn’t think that it would be like this, working with him, being on his team, she didn’t know it meant spending so much time with him.

There was a week of bonding and working with a voice coach before they started working on the battle. She walked into the room and found out she’s going up against Ontari, did her stupid interview of how nice and funny she is and they walked into the room to find out what song they’re going to do and who the advisor is going to be, along with Bellamy.

The truth about Ontari? She wasn’t nice, she was doing this to get out of a bad situation at home but that doesn’t mean it’ll take you all the way if you’re phony around people because they can tell. She’s bitter about where she came from, about the abuse she endured but that’s not on Clarke, that’s not on Bellamy or anyone she’s been around since she got here and she’s not nice to people so Clarke doesn’t know how this is going to go down.

“Hey, ladies,” Bellamy smiled, standing up to welcome them. “Y’all, know Gina Martin, right?”

Ontari was freaking out while also speechless and Clarke smiled, vaguely remembering her from that night she’s been trying to forget.

Clarke didn’t say much while the other spoke, she was more afraid of puking or maybe punching Bellamy’s face in for six years ago. She swore up and down that she was over what happened, that he could walk into the bar in Arkadia and she would be fine. Clearly she was wrong. Clearly, living as though that night didn’t happen, didn’t work and she’s held onto her anger more than she thought possible.

“Okay, ladies, how are you feeling about the song choice?”

Clarke looked at the song in front of her and she grimaced, _Wicked Games_ by The Weeknd. She heard Ontari going on about how much she loved the song while Clarke’s mind drifted to that night six years ago, the song playing out over the radio of the cab on the ride back to his place that was all boxed up except for his mattress.

Clarke came back to the rehearsal room when Ontari was in the middle of singing and Clarke gasped at the words.

_“So tell me you love me_

_Only for tonight…”_

Clarke blinked, trying not to look at Bellamy, trying to focus on her singing the song next, put her style in it like Ontari was doing and she liked what Ontari was doing but she also had been avoiding the song because of Bellamy. Clearly he remembered what happened after the Bluebird.

Ontari finished and Bellamy and Gina talked about her strong points and helped her a little with where she needed it and they turned to Clarke and the band started but her eyes were stuck on Bellamy and she was just angry.

“This was a mistake,” she said and walked out. She was halfway down the hall when she heard the door open again and Bellamy called after her.

His fingers wrapped around her wrist and she stopped, yanking her arm from him and glared.

“That song? Are you kidding me?”

“Clarke, I…”

“With Gina Martin right there? I was guilty over it for weeks, you were with her! God, I knew you were with her and I still went with you!”

“Clarke, Gina and I… yes, we were together and we were serious and I thought I loved her. We broke up because I was leaving, we broke up before that night.”

“Regardless, you’re one of my best friends’ brothers, I shouldn’t have crossed that line.”

“Princess, calm down, it was one amazing night six years ago. We’re professionals, we can work together without it being awkward, right?”

Clarke looked up at him and grimaced. “I shouldn’t have picked your team.”

“No, probably not,” he smirked. “But I’m glad you did. Can we go back and sing the song?”

“You and Gina are okay?”

“Yeah, there’s no hard feelings. We’re friends now, it’s refreshing to be friends with someone after being intimate with them.”

“Okay, lets go.”

They walked back in, Bellamy’s hand at her waist guiding her and probably making sure she actually went back into rehearsal.

“Everything okay?” Gina asked.

“Yes, I’m sorry, just… nerves,” Clarke sighed, looking back at the pages in front of her and once Bellamy sat back down, Miller and the other parts of the band started the song and Clarke belted it out like second nature even though it’s been six years since she heard the song, six years since allowing herself to sing it.

Bellamy was beaming when she finished, “Still regret being here? You knocked it out of the park!”

“Well, when you make comments like that,” Clarke said and she didn’t know if it would show up on screen as flirting or hatred towards him.

“You have this sexy sultry vibe that works with Abel’s sound and I could see the two of you collaborate on something in the future,” Gina smiled and Clarke knew she was supposed to take it as a compliment but whenever she saw Gina, even on Instagram, she felt horrible. Even though Bellamy said that they broke up before that night, that wasn’t public knowledge, to anyone who knew, he cheated on Gina. (Not that anyone knew.) “But there was a moment when you went flat, the _tell me you love me, even though you don’t love me,”_ she sang and Bellamy smiled. “Do you hear the difference?”

“Uh, yeah, I got stuck in my head. I don’t particularly have a great memory of this song,” Clarke admitted, avoiding Bellamy’s eyes.

“Well that’s something you should definitely use, whatever pain and heartache it brings up, you should use that.”

It’s not as though Clarke wants to air their dirty laundry out there for the world to see, she was just feeling so much guilt that she felt compelled to tell Gina about what happened six years ago in Nashville. When Clarke swore Bellamy was still with Gina and leaving for L.A. and had one last night at the Bluebird.

“Definitely. So do you ladies think you’re ready to work on this song, make it a duet?” Bellamy asked.

Clarke nodded and she’s guessing Ontari did too so the band started playing and Ontari told Clarke she could start…

 _“I left my girl back home_  
I don't love her no more  
And she'll never ever know that  
These eyes that I'm staring at…”

Clarke trailed off and let Ontari pick it up and it felt natural for the most part, trading back and forth with the lyrics and after three hours, she was exhausted and ready to work on the choreography. She was glad to not have Gina around. She and Bellamy can be friends or whatever they were elsewhere, Clarke has a competition to focus on.

* * *

“She’s the one you slept with?” Gina asked after Clarke and Ontari went to go get dinner and Bellamy was walking her out to her car.

“Gina…”

“I’m not jealous, I’m just curious. She’s hot.”

“Yeah, she is. I just wish she didn’t hate me.”

“She doesn’t hate you, Blake. She _wishes_ she hated you, but she doesn’t. She picked your team and maybe it was to be spiteful and make you wish she picked another team, I just know that she doesn’t hate you.”

“I hope not. Anyway, thank you for doing this for me.”

“Of course! It was really fun. We should do dinner sometime, double date with Griffin if you can pull that off. I’m seeing Riley, it’s very hush hush. No one knows yet and we’d like to keep it that way.”

“Riley, really? He didn’t say.”

“Like I said, we’re being discrete. That meant not telling you.”

“You know he’s an asshole.”

“Do you know how many people said that about you when they found out we were dating? He’s really very sweet to me, nicer than you.”

“Completely impossible, I’m a sweetheart.”

“Says Hollywood’s bad boy.”

“I thought Hollywood was resigned for actors.”

“Just because it’s reality TV doesn’t mean it’s not _acting_ , Ontari isn’t that nice. She’s fake.”

“Good to know. Tell Riley I say hi and that you deserve the royal treatment.”

Gina smiled, kissing his cheek. “Tell him yourself, you’re in the same band. Good luck here and it was great seeing you again. Please actually try to get her to go out with you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll do my best,” Bellamy smiled opening her car door for her. “I’ll let you know about a double date.”

* * *

“You okay?” Bellamy asked two days before the battle, she and Ontari were rehearsing on the stage and she was nervous because Ontari is so sure about herself and her voice that it made Clarke feel like shrinking into the background a little because, even though she’s been told her whole life that she’s an amazing singer, she never actually believed it, still doesn’t she just doesn’t back down from a challenge, she’s stubborn like that.

“With the song?”

“With everything.”

“I, uh, I kind of wish we could talk where no one would interrupt us and there isn’t a camera crew following us around everywhere. I want to believe that you’ll choose based on talent and not because you feel guilty or whatever you feel towards me.”

“Yeah, me too. The privacy, I know how to be unbiased.”

“Do you? Because you didn’t say one critical thing to me in rehearsals with Gina.”

“You just ran out of the room because of the song I picked, do you really think I was going to risk that happening twice?”

“You shouldn’t have to hold back, that’s the whole point, how am I going to beat her if you don’t criticize me?”

“Those high notes, bend down, grab them with strength, don’t look up as though you’re praying for them to come and don’t you dare let her out sing you. I don’t know why you’re here, I don’t know the motivation of you getting on the show because from what I remember, you sing from joy. Not because you love it or it’s your passion, it’s like an escape for you. Or it was.”

“You remember?”

“You and Raven drunkenly butchering _Before He Cheats_? Who could forget?”

“You weren’t the first guy to make me the other woman.”

Bellamy sighed, “Clarke, we went over this.”

“You can tell me you broke up with her before it happened, but I saw you flirting with her, I saw how she looked at you and—“

“And _we_ fought like cats and dogs. _We_ had more chemistry in our pinkie fingers than she and I did. Don’t get me wrong, I loved her, but I walked away because I was trying to build a better life. Turns out she and I are better friends. You still want to talk about this?”

“Yes.”

“Sneak out tonight, eleven thirty I’ll be in the front of the building, wear something warm.”

“Where are we going?”

“Show up and find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be up next Monday, it's the juicy one :P


	4. Battle Rounds

Clarke snuck out of the building and stepped out onto the sidewalk and found Bellamy leaning up against a dark blue Maserati. She scoffed, “You would have a Maserati.”

“I would have brought my truck if I knew this was going to happen,” he chuckled, opening the door for her.

“The truck?” Clarke’s mind flickered to him pressing her against the side of the truck, her hands pinned above her head, moaning while he worked on a hickey already forming on her neck. Then they were riding in the truck and _Wicked Games_ began playing out over the radio and they both laughed, they knew what they were walking into and still agreed to it.

She sat in the car and Bellamy closed the door softly before walking around to the drivers seat and started the car.

“Are you hungry?”

“I’m good, Ontari and I got something during rehearsal. We have one more before the show.”

“Right, it’s this weekend for Monday.”

“You forgot?”

“I’ve been writing. I mean the band’s on hiatus and I only get along with Miller so this is supposed to help prepare people for me going solo. At least that’s what my manager says.”

“Marcus Kane, right?”

“Yeah, how’d you..?”

“He’s dating my mom, because this world isn’t small enough, right? I know your sister, we’ve fucked, now my mom is with your manager.”

“Like destiny bringing us together.”

“I—“

“Just in each other’s space, wherever that brings us.”

What was she supposed to say to that? Destiny? If destiny were real, he wouldn’t have left.

“I can hear you thinking, stop it. I just mean that this goes how it goes and there’s no pressure, anything will be complicated during the show anyway.”

“Do you want to go solo?”

“Not particularly, I’ve been making music with Miller practically my whole life so even if I did, it would still be with him. He would still go on tour and do what he does now, it just won’t have his name on the cover.”

“And you won’t do anything with his name?”

“He prefers to be in the background which is okay, it’s what he likes and everything but with his name next to mine he gets the same recognition, the same money and fame. I guess I don’t think it’s fair. He does the same amount of work and doesn’t get the same recognition.”

“So why not say that? Tell him that’s what you want and how you feel about it?”

“He’ll say he doesn’t want or even care about recognition, just wants to play music.” He turned the car into an In-n-Out and pulled in the drive thru. “Want anything?”

“This is the biggest tease in the world. You’re a horrible human being.”

“For being hungry? I didn’t eat dinner yet. Seriously do you want anything?”

“Animal style fries and a chocolate milkshake please.”

Bellamy chucked, pulling up to the speaker and ordered their food. “How do you know about animal style when you’re from Virginia?”

“My parents divorced when I was fourteen and my mom moved out here and I had to spend some holidays here even if she was working, so I found In-N-Out and heard someone order animal style and when I saw it it looked amazing so naturally I tried it and now I’m obsessed and it makes me hate living in Virginia because when you’re craving something you can’t have… let’s just say I haven’t had it in three years so this is going to be awesome.”

“I think that was the first time you talked about your parents.”

“Well it’s not like it’s an unfair advantage, Octavia talked about your mom all the time.”

“What she knows which isn’t a whole lot. I think she knows more than she did if she listens to the band’s music. I’d like to move past a lot if it, I’d like to find a narrative without everything my mom caused.”

“You can do that, you can be whatever artist you want to be.”

He looked over at her with bemusement and disbelief. “No one has ever said that to me before.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, they probably think that that’s what I’m already doing, that I have a lot of pent up aggression and hell, I’m Hollywood’s bad boy, right? Copious relationships and one night stands, disinterested in what the tabloids have to say as long as they’re getting their facts right.”

He pulled the car up to the drive thru window and handed the cashier his card and she went pale at the sight of him. She works at an In-N-Out in LA, she’s seen celebrities before so unless she’s a huge Bellamy Blake fan, this shouldn’t be a big deal.

Clarke hid her face because if there’s a rumor that she and Bellamy spent time together outside the show, she’s sure she’ll be kicked off the show.

Bellamy placed the bag in her lap before driving off. Her milkshake in the cupholder next to his.

“We’re almost there.”

“Where are we going?”

“There’s a pull off on Templin Highway that’s a great view of the sky. It’s not perfect like Virginia or Tennessee but it’s nice.”

“I miss the stars. I know I take them for granted but they’re always there if I wanted to look at them. That’ll change if I win, right?”

“Yes, it will. Do you want to discuss that now or wait until we get there?”

“Wait til we get there. We’re not eating in here, right?”

“No, I have blankets in the back if you get cold.”

Ten more minutes and they pulled off the five and onto Templin Highway and a minute later they were on the turn off and Bellamy turned the engine off.

“Come on, the sun will be down in a few minutes. You can only really see Sirius, Arcturus, and Vega but you still get all the feels.”

“I didn’t know you were into astronomy.”

“It’s not something I publicize, only my close friends know. My mom used to read the Iliad and Odyssey when I was young so they made an impact and she let me name Octavia after Emperor Augustus’ sister.”

“Were you a band geek too? I feel like your whole image is a lie,” Clarke laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, come on. I’m starving.”

They stepped out of the car and Bellamy opened the trunk, sitting down on the edge with their food in his hands, Clarke handed him his shake and sipped on hers, her fries in her lap.

The sun was almost fully set, if they could see the ocean, it was probably a sliver over the water, the remaining light lit the sky a beautiful navy blue and purple, the mountains black and the dehydrated greenery was softer against their darker background.

She was a quarter of the way through her fries when he spoke again, finished with his triple triple burger.

“Look, I know this is unconventional and you should have picked Blake to be your coach. No matter how hard I try tomorrow, I don’t think I can be impartial and chose based on your talents alone.”

“You have to. Bellamy, please, if she’s better, if she should continue on, you should pick her. I… I don’t have to go home, they have steals, you have a save. Don’t pick me so you can see me.”

He nodded taking a sip of his milkshake, “Have you heard any of my songs?”

“Honestly, no. At first, knowing that it was you and the last time I saw you, it hurt listening to them and then when I had to for TV or movies I tried not thinking about that aspect and paid attention to the scene.”

“That’s okay, I’m not hurt by it, it’s not everyone’s favorite genre. Anyway, four years ago we put out our sophomore album and it was okay, it was in the top ten, three singles went gold, but the ratings and purchases were lower than expected so we put out a deluxe version with four or five songs that didn’t make the cut the first time and one of them was about you. It was people’s favorite and it’s still our most viewed music video.”

“Really?”

“ _I was all out of time_  
I was all out of luck  
Baby, looking at you,  
I’m completely awestruck  
I know I’m leaving in the morning  
Just give me this night and I’ll stop calling

 _In the morning… I didn’t think it all through_  
I can’t be satisfied by one night  
Off to LA with you still on my mind  
Can’t get you out of my head after all this time

 _Maybe I should call, ask how you’re doing_  
Maybe I should catch a flight, see you one more night  
Maybe, just maybe you think about me too  
Maybe, just maybe I could say these words to you.”

“Bell…”

“It’s not the whole thing, it’s sappy and nostalgic for an overly romanticized one night stand. I—“

“It’s beautiful, I wish I had heard it before. I was being stubborn and petty, I know me boycotting your band doesn’t do anything against you, it’s not even like you knew. It was more of a power thing, I think, you leaving me asleep in your apartment as you caught a flight to LA was shitty and I thought that by boycotting you I was saying you didn’t win.”

“I sure as hell didn’t win, Princess.”

Clarke swallowed her milkshake and looked over at him. Bellamy’s eyes were on her, the same weight and heaviness behind them as there was years ago. “Bellamy…”

“I want this, I want you. I shouldn’t have let you go six years ago, I should have done something different.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, given you my number, somehow try to make it work. I really don’t know, I didn’t even know you knew Octavia. I… I didn’t pine but that was the best night of my life, I compared everyone to you.”

“You’re right, you romanticized it, us.”

“I shouldn’t have, right?”

“No, I thought about it all the time, I didn’t compare people to you, I didn’t know you, but I did wish their hands were yours. I never had someone touch me like you did. It just—“ she shook her head, not knowing how to say it.

“Felt right?”

Clarke looked back up at him and his eyes were still on her and even in the darkness she could tell his chocolate brown eyes were dark and wanton. She licked her lips, “You know we shouldn’t.”

“Do you want to?”

“That doesn’t matter. I shouldn’t even be here with you, if they catch us I could be sent home. I don’t even care about this competition and I don’t want to go home.”

“Because you love singing?”

“Strangely I do, but I also have a really good coach that is going to be impartial in his judgement during tomorrow’s competition.”

Bellamy blinked, seemingly sobered, as he pulled back slightly, “Right. I should get you back, you have a long day ahead of you.”

“Bellamy, wait,” Clarke sighed, grabbing his forearm, pulling him closer to her.

“Clarke…” he tried but it was too late, she pressed her lips to his, he moaned pulling her to him as his tongue delve in her mouth.

“Clarke, babe. Not here, not like this.”

“Not now,” she offered, knowing that was his real statement.

Bellamy smirked, “I want to. Believe me when I say that having you back in my life is amazing, but I’m trying to go solo, right? I can’t have this kind of rumor going around. A coach with a member of their team? That’s scandalous and favoritism, exactly what you didn’t want.”

Clarke grimaced, twisting her hands together in her lap. “You’re right, I don’t want favoritism.”

“How about this, when you win, because you’re going to win, your first single is a duet with me?”

“How about your first single is a duet with me and my first single isn’t a love song.”

Bellamy laughed, stealing a fry from Clarke’s tray. “I can do that.”

“We should head back.”

“Are you done with your fries?”

“Are you done with my fries?”

Bellamy shrugged, looking out over the mountains, “I’m not done with you.”

Clarke scoffed. “Five more minutes?”

“Perfect,” Bellamy said softly, intertwining their fingers hidden in the trunk of the Maserati.

* * *

 

Clarke’s idea of make up was concealer for her occasional pimples and mascara and if she’s feeling adventurous, some lip shimmer. The girl staring back at her in the mirror liked nothing like her, contouring and heavy eyeliner and a bold red lipstick. Not Clarke Griffin, Ark U art student.

“Are you ready?” Raven asked, being the best support system she could ask for.

“I’m nervous as hell.”

“You already sang here before, you’ll be amazing and if Bellamy doesn’t choose you, he’s an idiot. You’re far better than Ontari, nicer too.”

“Rae, not here,” Clarke looked around at the other contestants up for battle tonight.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to. I don’t know when we’re going to be able to talk about it, okay? What does Octavia have to say about this situation? Does she know everything?”

“I didn’t tell her about the past, she found out that he was the fourth judge like everyone else and saw you pick his team. She knows that you know he’s her brother but that’s it.”

“Good. That’s good.”

“She should know, you know?”

“I do, but what am I supposed to say? It’s not like I have much privacy here to have that conversation with her. She can find out after the show.”

“Okay. And this performance, you’re ready?”

“I’m going to rock it actually.”

Twenty minutes later Clarke and Ontari were onstage and the music began for their song and Clarke’s eyes landed on Bellamy’s. He smirked at her softly with a nod of reassurance and she heard her cue.

She does this thing where after rehearsing for so many times she blanks on what happens until it’s all over and it’s great for her stage fright, when she was on the school debate team and mock UN. So when the song was over she blinked back to reality and hoped she didn’t act completely ridiculous, knowing she’ll get to watch it later.

“Coaches, what’d you think?” Carson asked stepping between Clarke and Ontari.

“Clarke, I didn’t turn around for you because I was in awe of you needing this show to be a singer, and that performance proved that to me even more. Ontari, did you know your voice could get that gravelly? That was intense and I want it.”

Bellamy scoffed, “You’re not getting it.”

“So you’re keeping her?”

“I still haven’t decided, I was surprised by that too!”

“I for one still want Clarke and think she made a bad decision with picking Bellamy, but that’s just me,” Blake smiled and Clarke thanked him.

“You both need to stop trying to poach my girls, I have a save!”

“You gonna use it?”

“I might, I was an idiot putting these two up against each other.”

“Alicia?” Carson laughed.

“You girls are both amazing talents and you each brought your own spin and your own take on the song that individually would be my favorite covers of the song. Together it didn’t work, like you two were on different wavelengths but that’s how this show is and Bellamy has a tough decision to make.”

“Yes he does. Bellamy, did you make a decision?”

“Yes, I choose Ontari,” he said as he slyly presses the save button and Blake pressed steal.

“Dude!” Bellamy exclaimed.

“I told you I want her!”

“I told you I was going to save her!”

“Clarke, you have a decision to make.”

“I’m staying with Bellamy,” she said into the mic in her hands before looking to the ground and she prayed that whatever came next, the audience would see through Ontari’s b.s. and vote her off in the next few rounds.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In what world would Clarke NOT go with Bellamy? Come on!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm aware I have other WIP going but this had been in my head for two weeks before I started writing it and now I'm sharing.  
> To be cheeky, I mentioned two songs from season 1's soundtrack, you know, back when the show used songs instead of a composer.  
> Comments and kudos would be wonderfilled... I have Oreos on my brain....


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